Despite my teenage origins as a regular on my local punk scene, I was never much of a Converse fan. I had a few pairs of the classic Chuck Taylor sneakers, of course, but I found that they often rubbed blisters and raw spots on my feet at a rate that made me never, ever reach for them. Now that casual sneakers are increasingly trendy and warm weather has made slim, low-cut tennis shoes a virtual weekend necessity, I’ve realized that finding a comfortable pair that can be worn without socks might actually be harder than finding a good pair of four-inch heels.

At this point, I’ve started trying on every pair I see and ordering online brands that I can’t find in person, in hopes of finding some that I like. I still love my Reef Bella Costas, but I wanted an alternative that was a solid color for when I’m wearing a pattern. Enter the Bensimon Classic Lace-Up Flats, which came in the mail from ShopBop on Friday and which I promptly wore all weekend.

I thought about ordering some Bensimons to try out last summer, but since I had just moved to New York, there were too many other things to tend to during that time and I simply never got around to it. Now that I’ve walked a couple of miles (literally) in my new pair, I wish I had. Feeling a bit adventurous on Saturday, I put on my new sneakers (without socks – I told you I was adventurous) and walked all over Manhattan for hours. Much to my delight and surprise, I have nary a raw mark or blister; in fact, my feet feel great. Now the only thing I have to figure out is which other colors I want, because at $57 per pair, I’m going to stock up. Buy through ShopBop for $57.

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